Help to build cheap, semi-future proof PC.

G

gradyhawks

Geek Trainee
Good evening all! Names Grady and I don't really have much of a clue about PC parts or building one, so I decided to join the humble forum in search of answers and advice.

Now, I have happened to come across a tiny bit of money due to a deposit on a flat being allot less than I intended and also due to my mum letting me stay at home a month longer, not paying much board at all. Now with this money I wanted to get a new PC, being that the last PC I got was off dell around 3 years ago, obviously its going to be slightly dated and unable to play modern PC games with out resorting to the lowest of the low graphics.

Now for the amount of money I have, i realise that I'm not going to get much but I'm not one of those gamers who needs to spend £500 more on some fancy part in order to get 10 more FPS on crisis. I'm happy to plod along at medium and see where it takes me.

Anyway, with out further ado let me tell you my minuscule budget of ~£300-£400 inc Vat. Now the £400 is the absolute maximum i can possibly stretch too, any more than this and I would possibly be ill on spending that much money at once.

Spec wise for this PC i don't really have a clue. Being able to play the modern games (albeit not full gfx) and some of the future games coming out (i.e. star craft II, red alert 3), this is the main reason behind me wanting a new PC (also the fact that my case doesn't go with the room im going to be living in XD). Also this needs to be quite future proof, perhaps Crossfire enabled so i can just slap another gfx card in there or whatever. I don't want to have to replaced this PC in 6 months time as i didn't get certain parts. Oh, and also it needs to be able to connect to my 1490x900 HD telly screen thing - perhaps those ATI 48XX cards i've seen? (its a telly, but it has a plug for a screen you see).

Also, what OS should i run? What's that 64 bit stuff all about with vista not using all your ram etc.? Remember I want it semi-future proof, and able to play some of the modern games.

Thanks for your time :)
Grady
 
Alas some input! IT does seem like a nice system for my price range.

Now call me a n00b and shun me down but I have read of these ATI HD48XX cards. Plus they look nice in apperance than others XD.

I've been on a different site and got the following:-

Pc Option - Technology For Everyone - Performance - HD4850 Gamers Base Unit - AMD Phenom Quad

with ~ £50 to spend on more ram etc. Is this a better Back for buck? For some reason I want Crossfire more than SLi (dont ask)


And what for the OS? What is that 64 bit stuff about.
 
also a noob but much recent research along similar lines see thread a few below.

The £359 set up has no Operating system so thats an additional and some may disagree but if you are doing a new set up Vista is happeniong weather you like it or not, so already you are over £400 just.

I havn't had time to look but doubt the mobo isn't crossfire or very future proof but that was never gonna happen for the price. The only 1 gig of RAM will also slow you down a bit. The extra 'bits' of the OS allow it to see and use extra RAM so if you do put more that an extra gig in it will never be used unless you have that upgrade.

I am not sure if the 650w PSU is coolermaster as it implies it is, could be a wording trick as that is overkill for the system and would be expensive, especially when the upgrade 800w psu is only 23quid, must be really S*** for this price so maybe check out the make is coolermaster, if not maybe worth a few worries.

Overall it seems a sensible system for the price but you aint gonna get good parts or future proof anywhere, even with a self build, at that price point.

Maybe wait for xmass and get everyone to throw in a part or a game or some cash and see about a slightly better system, as I am having to do, prices could also take a small tumble pre xmass...

good luck whatever you do
 
Hello n00bs. Grady, where are you located? Because a $200 graphics card in USA will run at about $400 in Europe. A 7800GS is a f***ing $500 for christ's sake. A PS3 cost $2500 in Russia when it came out. You want a good computer, put it together yourself, or have a friend build it (like me). We can translate the pounds into $$$ and work something out if you want. (free build O.-) You probably don't, but I can still help.
Tips:
-If you want a future proof rig go SLi, I used to be an ATi fan, quickly disappointed.
-Skrew Vista get XP and wait for Windows 7 if you want the "shiny." Vista and DirectX 10.1?You're not playing DX10 games on your budget anyway.
-1GB of RAM will run just fine. If you run out you can always upgrade when you get moar munneys. Right now spend money on important stuff.
-AMD, not intel, much cheaper, not a whole lot slower.
-ATi or NVidia GFX, makes no difference, SLi or XFire..? definitely SLi
-Power Supply, better moar power if you want future proof. New Graphics Cards EAT it. Nothing below 500W.
-Case? You don't really need one. Master Cooler has very good cheap cases though.
-CD/DVD Drives/Burners - NOT SONY, ASUS or Pioneer do very well compared.
-Anything else? PM me.
 
jaggy said:
Hello n00bs. Grady, where are you located?
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I don't really think the "noobs" was necessary, and if you look bottom left on their signature, under their name, it has their country flag. Back on topic, i thought i had replied to this but i guess i didn't. Anyways, that about what your going to get for the money, without building more yourself, but honestly, and not to be rude, but that may be a bit above you right now. You getting a pretty nice machine there, and with the video card you have, you might as well go with Vista, as well, thats what your going to have to use that extra money for. As you don't already own XP, you might as well buy Vista. All the bugs have been worked out by now, or the one that plagued Vista did, as well it is safer/nicer than XP, a little. On a final note, there is no such thing as a future proof computer, they just advance so quickly its hard to keep up.
 
=Swansen;140373]Hello n00bs. Grady, where are you located?
I don't really think the "noobs" was necessary, and if you look bottom left on their signature, under their name, it has their country flag.
Click to expand...
Look buddy, take a joke will ya. It's only because I actually read the other responces. Oh, and by the way I knew Grady's in the UK, I have a friend living in Manchester who might have been able to help him build one if he lived close to there.
 
jaggy said:
Look buddy, take a joke will ya. It's only because I actually read the other responces. Oh, and by the way I knew Grady's in the UK, I have a friend living in Manchester who might have been able to help him build one if he lived close to there.
Click to expand...
um woah, calm down, i did read the other responses, they were calling themselves noobs, which is something completely different, i understand you didn't have any malice behind your "noob", but its just very difficult to convey emotion over text, so just be careful, some one else might have not taken it so lightly. Lastly, you asked where he was located, so i explained how to find that, it would have been different if you asked where in the UK are you located. I'm not attacking you, i'm just trying to keep the forums clean and friendly.
 
Swansen said:
um woah, calm down, i did read the other responses, they were calling themselves noobs, which is something completely different, i understand you didn't have any malice behind your "noob", but its just very difficult to convey emotion over text, so just be careful, some one else might have not taken it so lightly. Lastly, you asked where he was located, so i explained how to find that, it would have been different if you asked where in the UK are you located. I'm not attacking you, i'm just trying to keep the forums clean and friendly.
Click to expand...

You're right... sorry. Text is dangerous. =]
 
alright stop the fight guys no need for violence :)

anyways

I would recommend you go for a AMD phenom system hooked up with a P35 mobo 4GB memo and 4850 for the graphics. If your not one of these Vista haters then go for vista home premium 64 bit (why not splash)
 
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